Originally published in the Baltimore Sun.
A sociologist studying whether involving immigrants in neighborhood groups can ease crime, an education professor using housing data to predict school enrollment and an astronomer applying his expertise in big data to the city’s vacant problems are all part of a new program at the Johns Hopkins University designed to help Baltimore confront its intractable problems.
The 21st Century Cities Initiative is pairing Hopkins researchers with organizations and government agencies on short-term projects to dissect data, test solutions, develop new policies and ultimately give Baltimore and other urban areas a path toward revitalization.